Portable fire-escape.



No. 656,732. Patented Aug. 28,1900. J. C. SCUTT.

PORTABLE FIRE ESCAPE. (Application filed Mar. 6, 1900.) (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented Aug. 28, 1900. J. C. SCOTT.

PORTABLE FIRE ESCAPE.

(Apphcatmn filed. Mar 5, 1900\ 2 Sheeta-Shaat 2.

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'IATES JOHN G. sc'o'r'r," or oIIIcAeo, ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE FIRE- -ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,732, dated August28, 1900. Application filed March 5, 1900. Serial No. 7,426- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. SCOTT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PortableFire- Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of my invention is to provide a form of fire-escape inwhich a cabinet is suspended from a ladder and connected thereto in suchmanner that the ladder may be conveniently stowed in said cabinet whennot in use. To this end I provide a cabinet of suitable form to serve asa useful and ornamental article of furniture, such as a settee or'othersimilar vdevice, having an open top with a removable or hinged cover andhaving aladder secured near or at the top in such manner that same maybe readily lowered into the cabinet. In. connection with said device Iprovide suitable means for read ily connecting the upper end of theladder to a window-sill.

Further objects of different features of the device with which I put myinvention into practice will be understood from the followingdescription, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- 4Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed according to myinvention and secured to a window-sill in proper position for use as afire-escape. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the wall of thebuilding having my device suspended therefrom in similar manner as shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the rod whereby the upper part of theladder is secured to a window-sill. Fig. 4: is a perspective view of thesame rod.

The cabinet 1 is provided with aremovable or hinged lid 2, havingthereon a handle 3. The recesses 4 have hooks 5, projecting through sameand engaging the lower links of the chains 6. Said chains have the capsor end pieces 7, secured thereto by the eyes or staples 8. The steps 9are seated in said caps .7 and secured thereto by bolts or screws 10.The upper step 11 is made in the form of a block, providing considerablesurface at its rear for abutting against the front of the window-sill.This is secured in the caps 12,

which are made considerably larger than the caps '7 and which have thehandles 13 se cured thereto. The chains 14 are secured at one end to thecaps 12 and at the other end to the eyes 15 in the members 16 and 17.Said members are pivoted together at 18 and have the rear shoulders 19and 20, which abut each other, for holding the members 16 and 17 in theposition shown. Said members together form the rod whereby the device isattached to a window-sill. Each of said members is provided with a hook21, which engages the inner edge of the sill 22, as shown in Fig. 2.

The whole device will be made of suitable weight and form so that samemay be readily taken from place to place and conveniently used indwelling-houses, hotels, schools, ((50. The cabinet 1 is preferably madeof such size that a small child may be readily seated therein andlowered from a window. The cabinet 1 will preferably be made of metal orother fireproof material lined with asbestos.

The operation of my device is as follows: When the device is not in useas a fire-escape, the cabinet will be placed in a convenient positionnear the window from which same is to be suspended. The ladder will belowered into same in such manner that the steps 9 will lie flat uponeach other, While the chains will lie at the sides of said steps. Themembers 16 and 17 are folded upon each other at the pivot 18. Saidmembers are preferably of suitable size to be inserted in the upper partof the cabinet when thus folded. The lid 2 will be placed in theposition shown in Fig. 1 after the ladder has been stowed in saidcabinet. Any suitable drapery or other covering may be placed over thelid 2. In case of fire or other emergency requiring the use of thefire-escape the operator will merely remove or throw back the lid 2 andtake out the ladder or hold the cabinet in an inverted position, so asto permit the ladder to drop out. He will then place in said cabinet anysmall articles thathe may desire to lower from the window and will thenlower the cabi not by means of the ladder. The upper part of the laddermay be first attached, as before described. The ladder will then be leftin the positions shown in-Figs. 1 and 2 for persons to descend by meansof the steps 9. The handles 13 are intended for convenience in removingthe ladder from the cabinet and also to assist in again raising thedevice through the window from Which same has been suspended.

It will be understood that rungs of ordinary form may be substituted forthe steps 9 and that other details of the device shown may be altered innumerous Ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. Itherefore do not confine myself to such details except as hereinafterlimited in the claim.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- A device of the class described, comprising a cabinet open at thetop; a flexible ladder secured to said cabinet in suitable manner forsuspending same in an upright position and adapted to be folded into thecabinet;

JOHN C. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. SHooKEY, TIMOTHY C. LYNCH.

